Strip-forming tool



Oct. 18, 1960 B.J.v1NKEMuLDER 2,956,608 STRIP-FORMING TOOL Filed NOV. '7, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BERNARD J. VINKEMULDER INVENTOR.

United States Patent O STRIP-FORMING TOOL Bernard J. Vinkemulder, 917 Princeton SE., Grand Rapids, Mich.

Filed Nov. 7, 1958, Ser. No. 772,635

Claims. (Cl. 153-45) This invention relates to the construction of tools for bending strip material. In the general form of bending tools, an arrangement is provided for applying a localized bending moment through the use of a pivotallymounted beam having some provision for engaging the piece. The torque applied by the beam against the piece is resisted Aby a iixed abutment. In the case of bending wire, the bending forces are applied fairly close to the supporting frame or plate, resulting in the relative freedom of the components of the device from overstrain. When strip material is used, however, a sufcient extension of the abutments and holding equipment above the supporting frame is involved to cause a danger of the displacement of these elements as the torque is applied. As a result of this situation, it -is usually necessary to use suiciently large-diameter members as to establish a practical minimum radius of curvature which the tool is capable of forming. 'Ihis invention provides an arrangement for supporting the various elements of the device in such a fashion that a smaller diameter can be used, resulting in the possibility of bending strip material to a smaller radius of curvature. The several features of the invention will be discussed in detail through an analysis of the particular embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawing. In the drawing:

Figure l presents a perspective view of a bending tool embodying this invention, and supported by a conventional bench vise.

Figure 2 presents a view on a somewhat enlarged scale over that of Figure l, and illustrating the open form of the device in preparation for receiving a bent piece of stock, or in condition in which the tool is placed to remove a piece which has been formed.

Figure 3 is an enlarged view in partial section showing the assembled relationship of the components.

Figures 4 and 5 show the position of the workpiece with respect to the tool for forming bends in opposite directions.

Figure 6 shows the position of the workpiece with respect to the components of a device for straightening an existing bend.

Referring to the views of the drawing, the bending tool includes a base plate 10 of the generally rectangular form, and shown supported temporarily (during the bending operation) by the conventional bench vise 11. A shaft 12 is rotatably received in the base plate 10, preferably with the relationship shown in Figure 3. This shaft has a threaded lower portion 13 which receives a self-locking nut 14, which permits the adjustment of the device to the desired edges of tightness with respect to the plate 10. A nut of the type generally known by the trademark elastic stop nut has been found highly satisfactory for this purpose. The shaft 12 is preferably also provided with a knurled portion 15 in which the beam 16 is engaged in a press tit relationship. The beam may therefore be considered as xed with respect to the shaft.

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The beam 16 carries a rod 17 normally iixed with respect to the beam, with the rod being parallel to the shaft 12 and fairly closely adjacent to it-enou'gh so to accommodate the thickness of the thickest material with which the tool is to be used. A second rod 18 is also mounted on the beam 16; and in the illustratedv preferred form of the invention, the auxiliary beam' 19 is pivotally mounted on the upper portion 20 of the' reduced diameter of the rod 18. lf desired, the top of the rod may be staked suiciently to prevent the Withdrawal of the ibeam accidentally. I

The auxiliary beam 19 is provided with holes 21 and 22 for respectively engaging the rod 17 and the shaft 12. This engagement secures the spaced relationship between the rod 17 and the shaft 12 against separation as the bending forces are applied. 'Ihe securing of the outer end of the auxiliary beam by the rod 18 also maintains the parallelism between the rod 17 and the shaft 12. The space between the main beam 16 and` the auxiliary beam 19 is available to accommodate the piece being bent, since many bending operations will result in a rather extended section of material past which the beam assembly must be swung. The formation of an S-curve, for example, will require that the beam be swung across the area occupied by the workpiece, and the spaced relationship between the beams makes this possible. v

The torque applied by the beam assembly (including the main and auxiliary beams 16 and 19) against the pieces of strip material is resisted by the engagement of the strip with the abutment post 23. This post and the stabilizing post 24 are normally iixed with respect to the base plate 10. The auxiliary plate 25 is preferably movably connected to the auxiliary post 24 by staking the end of the upper portion 26 of reduced diameter, in the same fashion as is used in the assembly of the auxiliary beam 19 to the rod 18. The pivotal mounting of the auxiliary plate 2S permits the plate to be swung from a position in which the holes 27 and 28 engage the abutment post 23 and the shaft 12, respectively. The effect of this engagement is to prevent sep aration between these members, and also to prevent distortion of the position of these members so `that their axes are no longer parallel. When it becomes necessary to remove the bent piece from the tool, both the auxiliary beam 19 and the auxiliary plate 25 may be placed in the position shown in Figure 2.

Movement of the components to the Figure 2 position allows for the withdrawal of the bent workpiece in a direction parallel to the axis of bending, making it possible to form a fully closed circle or eye. The collar 29 is preferably loosely mounted on the auxiliary post 24 to provide a guide for positioning the strip indicated in dotted lines at 30 in Figure 1. The axial length of the collar 29 is approximately equal to the thickness of the beam 16, and the placement of the strip in contact with the end of the collar establishes parallelism between the workpiece 30 and the base plate 10. To minimize the space required in the folded position of the device, the slideability of the collar 29 may be utilized (as shown in Figure 3) to permit the beam 16 to be swung clockwise (as shown on the drawings) to the point of bringing the side of the beam 16 into contact with the auxiliary post 24. This position normally represents the most compact arrangement for storage and shipping.

Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings show the position of the tool for forming bends in opposite directions. In general, the workpiece is always inserted between the post 12 and 17, but on either one side or the other of the post 23 depending on the direction of the bend which is to take place. In Figure 6, an existing bend 31 in the workpiece 3 is placed so that it can be straightened. A slight counter-clockwise movement of the beam 16 will remove the curvature Yof the portion of the piece 30 adjacent the rod 17. This procedure is repeated as the piece is moved in small increments in the direction of the arrow 32 until the entire bend is straightened.

vThe particular embodiments of the present invention which have been illustrated and discussed herein are for illustrative` purposes only and are not to be considered as a limitation upon the scope of the appended claims. In these claimsit is my intent to claim the entire invention disclosed herein,' except as I am limited by the prior art.

, I claim: s

1. A strip-bending tool, comprising: a base plate; shaft means rotatably engaging said base plate on an axis perpendicular thereto; a main beam fixed with respect to said shaft and extending radially therefrom adjacent said base plate; `first and second rods normally fixed with respect to said main beam parallel to said shaft and disposed adjacent to said shaft and remote therefrom, respectively; an auxiliary beam removably engaging at least said shaft and rst rod, and also normally engaging said second rod; an abutment post normally fixed with respect to said plate and disposed parallel to said shaft; a stabilizing post normally fixed with respect to said base plate and disposed parallel to said shaft; a collar slideably mounted on said stabilizing post, said collar having an axial length substantially equal to the thickness of said main beam; and an auxiliary plate removably engaging at least said abutment post and said shaft, and also engaging said stabilizing post.

2. A strip-bending tool, comprising: a base plate; shaft means rotatably engaging said base plate on an axis perpendicular thereto; a main beam fixed with respect to said shaft and extending radially therefrom adjacent said base plate; first and second rods normally fixed with respect to said main beam parallel to said shaft and disposed adjacent to said shaft and remote therefrom, respectively; an auxiliary beam removably engaging at least said shaft and rst rod, and also normally engaging said second rod; an abutment post normally fixed with respect to said plate and disposed parallel to said shaft; a stabilizing post normally fixed with respect to said base plate and disposed parallel to said shaft; and an auxiliary plate removably engaging at least said abutment post and said shaft, and also engaging said stabilizing post,

3. A strip-bending tool, comprising: a base plate; shaft means engaging said base plate on an axis perpendicular thereto; a main beam rotatably mounted with respect -to said base plate coaxially with said shaft; first and second rods normally fixed with respect to said main beam parallel to said shaft and disposed adjacent to said shaft and remote therefrom, respectively; an auxiliary beam removably engaging at least said Shaft and first rod, and also normally engaging said second rod; an abutment post normally fixed with respect to said plate and disposed parallel -to said shaft; a stabilizing post normally fixed with respect to said base plate and disposed parallel to said shaft; and an auxiliary plate removably engaging at least said abutment post and said shaft, and also engaging said stabilizing post.

4. A strip-bending tool, comprising: a base plate; shaft means engaging said base plateon an axis perpendicular thereto; a main beam rotatably mounted with respect to said base plate coaxially with said shaft; first and second rods normally fixed with respect to said main beam parallel to said shaft and disposed adjacent to said shaft and remote therefrom, respectively; an auxiliary beam removably engaging at least said shaft and first rod, and also normally engaging said second rod; an abutment post normally fixed with respect to said plate and disposed parallel to said shaft; and an auxiliary plate removably engaging said abutment post and said shaft.

5. A strip-bending tool, comprising: a base plate; shaft means engaging said base plate on an axis perpendicular thereto; a main beam rotatably mounted with respect to said base plate coaxially with said shaft; a rod normally xed with respect to said main beam parallel to said shaft and disposed adjacent to said shaft; an auxiliary beam removably engaging said shaft and rod; an abutment post normally fixed with respect to said plate and disposed parallel to said shaft; and an auxiliary plate removably engaging said abutment post and said shaft.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,345,102 Dick Mar. 28, 1944 2,430,899 Wallace Nov. 18, 1947 2,456,532 Perazzo Dec. 14, 1948 2,659,411 Bird Nov. 17, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 124,386 Switzerland Ian. 16, 1928 

